Resistance Training before Cardiovascular Training

Generally, or for big muscles like quadriceps and exercises like squats, do them before cardiovascular training. One reason is that you don't want to tire them out before half an hour or more of cardiovascular training. More information is here:

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/cardiovascular-training-before-after-resistance-bsc-hons-mcsp/

Respiration Summary Lesson

I am preparing this for my biology class.

The basic molecule of obtaining energy is adenosine triphosphate, or ATP, as we learned. Energy is released when a phosphate is released to yield adenosine diphosphate. This happens millions of times a second in each cell. Eventually, the ADP gains back the P04 to become ATP so the process can start over again.

Reaction:

ATP+H​2​​O⇋ADP+P​i​​+energy

We have slow twitch and fast twitch muscles in the body. Slow twitch muscles perform better in endurance events like the Marathon we just had in New York City. Each person differs in how much slow or fast twitch muscle they have. All muscles have both types of muscle fibers. Some people are better at sprinting because they have more fast twitch muscles.

These two muscle types have different processes for making ATP. Cells in both types of muscle fiber break down glucose and use the chemical energy to produce ATP, but slow-twitch muscle fibers do sow aerobically – using oxygen, while fast-twitch muscle fibers do so anaerobically.

Plants and some bacteria or algae are producers and autotrophs; they make their own nutrients – carbohydrates, proteins, fats – from inorganic material and the sun’s energy. Material includes nutrients from the soil and water. Heterotrophs derive raw material for their carbohydrates, fats and proteins from other organisms such as plants or animals. Humans are heterotrophs.

Photosynthesis

In plants, chlorophyll in chloroplasts uses the sun’s energy, carbon dioxide and water to form sugar. Plants also use nutrients and nitrogen from the soil to form proteins. So, according to what vegetable we eat, we get a different amount of grams of carbohydrates or protein.

Photosynthesis converts light energy to chemical energy. Respiration uses oxygen, released by plants into the atmosphere, to convert energy in chemical bonds of organic fuels to ATP, which is another source of chemical energy.

For both plants and animals, the production of ATP during respiration occurs in mitochondria.

Plants store energy in photosynthesis and then use respiration themselves to harvest this energy. Photosynthesis produces fuels and respiration burns them.

Starch in potatoes is a polysaccharide. Some engineers are getting ethanol fuel from plants.

Aerobic Cellular Respiration

Involves taking in oxygen and expelling carbon dioxide.

C6H12O6 + 6O2 → 6CO2 + 6H2O

glucose + oxygen -> carbon dioxide + water

About 32 ATP molecules are produced for each glucose molecule burned.

 

Oxidation = removal of electrons

Reduction = addition of electrons

NADH carries electrons from glucose and other molecules and deposits them on top of the electron transport chain. The molecule at the bottom of the chai drops the electrons to oxygen.

Three Parts of Cellular Respiration

A.    Glycolysis

Glycol – sweet or sugar lysis – splitting

Glucose is split into two pyruvic acids. Two molecules of ATP are used but after the electron transport cycle with NAD+, four ATPS are produced, for a net of two ATP molecules per molecule of glucose.

B.     Citric Acid Cycle or TCA or Krebs Cycle completes the breakdown of glucose.

Pyruvic acid is changed to acetic acid. Each acetic acid is attached to coenzyme A from B vitamin pantothenic acid. Acetyl CoA is formed. They enter into the citric acid cycle. CoA is recycled. Acetic acid plus carbons forms citric acid. For each acetic acid molecule, tow carbon dioxides exit. Some energy makes ATP, but more energy from NADH and FADH2 is used to make even more ATP.

Different sugars are involved.

C.     Electron transport Chain

This is a redox reaction: Electrons are lost. This is called oxidation. Glucose loses electrons to oxygen and is oxidized. Energy is released. Oxygen is one of the strongest electron grabber atoms. The electrons of the hydrogen in glucose “fall” into their  new bonds with oxygen. The path of electrons from glucose to oxygen happens with nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide or NAD+. NAD+ is reduced to NADH.

 This is part of the electron transport chain in mitochondria.

Figure 6.11 A concentration gradient of H+ in the inner mitochondria is the potential energy source that drives ATP production by the enzyme ATP synthase.

Figure 6.13 Carbohydrates enter respiration via glycolysis; glycerol enters respiration via glycolysis from fats; fatty acids at acetyl CoA and protein amino acids at all three.

Anaerobic Respiration

When your muscles use AATP faster than your blood can deliver oxygen, as in intense workouts or sports, anaerobic respiration takes over. Muscles can work anaerobically for 15 seconds. Then they use fermentation to generate ATP. During anaerobic respiration, there is no oxygen to accept electrons. Instead, NADH disposes of electrons by adding them to pyruvic acid produced by glycolysis. Figure 6.4

Pyruvic acid + electrons yields lactic acid. It is transported to the liver and converted back to pyruvic acid.

Anaerobic respiration yields just 2 ATPs.

Some microorganisms just need anaerobic respiration. Some of these transform milk to cheese, sour cream and yogurt. Yeast uses both respiration and fermentation. IF there is no oxygen in their environment, they resort to anaerobic respiration. Ethyl alcohol and carbon dioxide are the  waste product. Beer and wine are produced this way. Yeast in bread yield carbon dioxide that causes dough to rise.

Fascia Stretching

As I am renewing my fitness training license and reading the High-Performance Training for Sports book, I will also review what fascia is, as well as tendons and interior muscle fibers and how one can work those out. I think most exercises and sports do not strengthen, elongate those parts.

I am not sure of the scientific validity of the below Web sites,but it seems fascinating. I will keep checking on fascia and stretching it. He claims that injuries are "stored" in fascia,when they are stretched, you get rid of parts of them in sweat,urination and defecation.

It seems that paying attention to fascia,tendons and inner muscle fibers would take fitness, dance and team sports to a  new level. However, the authors mention that too much fascia stretching may reduce strength. This varies by the individual. Studies, they wrote, are not consistent, well-designed of conclusive.

https://www.thegeniusofflexibility.com/resistance-stretching/fascia.html
http://www.stretching-exercises-guide.com/fascia-stretches.html
http://www.alive.com/fitness/fascial-stretching/

Nordic Hamstring Curls to Prevent Injury

Hey, I never heard of this. I am updating my ISSA fitness trainer license and read about this in High Performance Training for Sports by David Joyce and Daniel Lewinson.

There are pros and cons. Here are some and a demonstration video.
https://barbend.com/nordic-ham-curl/

Single-Leg Hip Rotation for Abdominals, Plus Variation

Stand with your legs shoulder-width apart Cross your arms at your chest for stability. Start with either leg first for four sets of 10 repetitions. Bend the knee 90 degrees. Both knees are facing forward at this point. Rotate your leg outwardly until your knee is 180 degrees to your hips. Return to the starting position. Repeat for four sets of 10 repetitions. Then do the same with the other leg. Breathe out when you rotate your leg away from your body and breathe in when you brig it back to center.

Variation:

Start in the same way. When your leg is in the 180 degree position, bring it straight down to the floor. Your feet will then be in a 90 degree position with each other. Turn your foot to be straight with the floor that was already on the floor. This will activate your gluteus maximus and all your abdominals, including the opposite side obliques. Repeat for four sets of 10 repetitions. Then do the same with the other leg. B

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Lie on Your Belly and Work Out Your Hamstrings and Gluteus Maximus

Lie on your belly and rest your upper body. Turn out your legs and touch your heels together at 90 degrees over your hips. Lower your legs to about two inches over the ground and bring them back up to the starting position. Repeat for ten repetitions of fours sets.

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Weight Loss Article in Time Magazine, June 9,2017

An article in Time by Alexandra Sifferlin is about how weight loss varies among different people. Scientists and doctors have not figured out which diet, such as low-carbohydrate or lo-fat, works best for people. An increasing amount of Americans are overweight: 71% are overweight and 40% are obese. In one study, the same amount of people lost weight in each of two groups put in a low-carbohydrate or low-fat diet experienced , and the same amount of people gaining it back. In fact, people who lose weight keep it off for about 5.5 years and then gain it back. The simple adage of burn more calories than  you eat may not work for everyone.

More than 10,000 people are registered in the Brown University National weight Control Registry. Many of them report trying different diets before losing weight. they tend to eat breakfast and watch less than 10 hours of television  a week. Dr. Rena Wing, a professor of psychiatry and human behavior at Brown University, runs the study. According to her, no two people in the study lost weight in exactly the same way. 

Genes may have something to do with weight gain and loss. Experts have identified more than 100 genetic markers that are linked to weight, but they say that these account for about 3% of differences between people's sizes. Scientists are also exploring how weight gain may be associated with chemicals in everyday items such as mattresses and store receipts may be interfering with the normal functioning of hormones by mimicking them. An individual's microbe environment on or in their bodies may also influence weight.

This study to me shows how it is important to know yourself and your body to see what diet and - or exercise regime works best for you. It is also important to get off a plateau in dieting or exercise. If you do something for too long, your body gets used to it and it has less of an effect.

The article can be found at http://time.com/4793832/the-weight-loss-trap/.

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Rhabdomyolysis and Spin Class

Always warm up before exercise and cool down after exercise. You know your body. Some days you may not be able to do as hard of a workout as other days due to a previous day's hard workout, stress etc.

https://uk.style.yahoo.com/rhabdomyolysis-life-threatening-condition-affecting-133354087.html

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Kettleball Squats

This is a hard squat exercise. Keep your elbows open on the side and hold a kettleball in each. hand. The kettleball should be heavy enough to offer a good resistance but to still allow you to do four sets of 10 repetitions. Just keeping the kettleballs out on the side by you is hard enough. It is a workout for your pectoralis muscles, shoulders and to a lesser extent your biceps and triceps, which are stabilizes. Then with the squats. you work the lower body muscles. 

Good luck!

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Side lunges

You can do this with free weights held at your shoulders (advanced) or with your arms at your sides.

Stand with legs shoulder width apart. Step your left foot behind the other while bending both legs. Try to get your right leg as close to a 90 degree angle as you can.Lunge with your left leg. Repeat for four sets of ten repetitions.
Switch legs.

Stretch your quadriceps, hamstrings, adductors and abductors. This is an advanced exercise, with or without free weights. You can also do it with a barbell behind your neck, but free weights are less strenuous on the neck and back.

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Half Roller

I always wondered what half rollers were for, until I recently saw a female  trainer doing lunges on the flat side of one, as the curved side was on the floor. I of course knew that doing the lunges on the half roller would better her balance. I asked her what muscles seemed most activated. She said her gluteus maximus. I thought it would be the main leg adductor or sartorius. When I tried it, that is where I felt it. 

Upon her recommendation, I did front and side leg lifts on the half roller,while balancing standing on the opposite leg. As I thought, deep abdominal muscles are activated when you do leg raises and other exercises on the side roller. (The curved side of the half roller rests on the floor.)

Try it! Pick an exercise and do at least two sets of 10 repetitions. Work your way up each week. See if your deep muscles are activated, sucking in your surrounding muscles and fat tissue for a thinner look, and increasing your strength and balance.

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Reverse Plank for Abdominal Muscles

Happy New Year everybody! May all your healthy wishes come true!

For this exercise, "sit" on your palms and feet. Lift your back and hips in a parallel manner while your arms and bent legs form a bridge or table. Lift your right arm and left leg to touch. Repeat with your left arm and right leg. Use a slight twist each time to add an oblique workout.

Repeat for 10 repetitions and add sets if you can. This is difficult on your wrists, and of course your abdominal muscles.

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Great Post on Using a Scale in Weight Loss

Here is a wonderful article on not focusing too much on your weight while losing weight. Focus on eating well, exercise, how you feel, and sizes.
https://www.thrillist.com/health/nation/how-to-lose-weight-loss-tips-should-not-use-scale
If you need a personal trainer in New York City, send me a message!
Happy New Year!

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Bosu Ball Lower Abdominal Exercises

I may have posted about this in 2009, but here are some exercises I did today. I hope I will feel pain tomorrow, so I will know I worked out.

1. Sit in the center of the Bosu ball. Keeping your balance will use subtle abdominal and hip muscles. Hold onto the side of the Bosu ball. Bring up your bent legs and squeeze your lower abdominal muscles to move your bent legs up an inch or two. Repeat for four sets of ten repetitions.

2. Place your hands behind you, elbows bent, and extend your legs out to half a foot over the floor, and bring them back near you bent. Repeat for four sets of ten repetitions.

Chest Stretches

Most of us are hunched forward toward our computer screens, televisions and cell phones every day. And most of us stretch our legs and back, but forget our chests. This affects posture and back muscle pain. I found a good page of some chest stretches. See the link below.

I recently had an experienced Mercer Street NYSC personal trainer stretch my chest. He used something that is a great idea: a Swiss ball! I placed my hands behind my head while he went behind me and pulled back on my elbows as I exhaled, with the Swiss ball between us! This allowed for my back muscles like rhomboids and trapezius to widen out and then go back, this followed by my pecs doing the same --  widening and then stretching back. This made the difference; I got a good stretch. Then, as when I do the same stretch for clients but use my knee (not on their spine) instead of a ball, he told me he'd stretch me further and I exhaled prior to prepare.

If someone is flexible and wants to stretch their back, using a Swiss ball on the floor and stretching back over it or placing their 90-degree-bent arm against the wall and stretching away from it will not be as much of an effective chest stretch as what he did with me.

Other stretches are best done with a partner. I will post more at another time. Let me know how you feel if you try these stretches!

http://www.wikihow.com/Perform-Chest-Stretches

How Yoga Benefits Patients with Mesothelioma

By Katherine Keys

Patients living with mesothelioma, the aggressive type of cancer most often caused by asbestos exposure, face a number of symptoms that range from mild to severe. Both the cancer itself and the treatments for it can cause pain, nausea, and fatigue. They also cause psychological effects, like fear, depression, and hopelessness.

While mesothelioma is unfortunately not curable for most patients, there are many treatments that can extend life and combat the symptoms of the cancer and chemotherapy used to treat it. These include a lot of natural and holistic strategies, including yoga. Many mesothelioma patients face fear and uncertainty. They may work with mesothelioma lawyers to get justice for the cancer likely caused by working conditions, but this can only provide so much relief. If you are struggling to cope, yoga may help.

Yoga for Pain

Pleural mesothelioma, the most common form of the disease, is the cancer of the tissue that lines the lungs. As the cancer grows in that tissue it presses against the spine and nerves. This can lead to significant pain for patients. Research has found that practicing yoga regularly can help relieve pain by improving the body and brain’s tolerance for it.

Any pain caused by mesothelioma, or even other kinds of pain that are less tolerable because you are ill, may be reduced by doing yoga several times a week. A qualified instructor can even tailor a yoga workout to meet your specific needs. If you are experiencing mostly back pain, for instance, there are certain poses that will help more than others.

Battle the Fatigue of Fighting Mesothelioma

The many effects of cancer on the body, not to mention the treatments, include fatigue. If you are struggling with mesothelioma you probably also struggle to do the things you used to because of being tired and having less energy. Just one session of yoga per week boosts energy levels and reduces feelings of fatigue. If you can work up to it, and your health care professionals give you the green light, more than one session per week can really help you to get your old energy back.

Manage Mood and Fight Fear

Living with a death sentence hanging over your head is a terrible thing to have to experience. Patients with terminal cancers like mesothelioma have to be brave in the face of being given a short life sentence. That can take a toll on the psyche and leave you feeling afraid, anxious, depressed, and alone. Time and again, yoga has been proven to help people manage these negative feelings and boost mood.

Many studies have demonstrated that there are positive psychological benefits of yoga, but some have focused specifically on cancer patients. In one study a group of cancer patients participated in yoga for several sessions and researchers found that they all experienced a reduction in stress and anxiety and reported having a better quality of life.

If you are battling mesothelioma, trying yoga could help you feel better and give you a valuable coping strategy. Be sure to work with a professional who can help you start doing yoga at a pace that is best for your current fitness and health level. Once you get started you will likely experience relief from symptoms and a better outlook on living.

If you have questions, contact katherine1@katherinekeys.com.

Check out Pocketguide to Fitness and myother books on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=louiza+patsis

How Yoga Benefits Patients with Mesothelioma

 By Katherine Keys

Patients living with mesothelioma, the aggressive type of cancer most often caused by asbestos exposure, face a number of symptoms that range from mild to severe. Both the cancer itself and the treatments for it can cause pain, nausea, and fatigue. They also cause psychological effects, like fear, depression, and hopelessness.

While mesothelioma is unfortunately not curable for most patients, there are many treatments that can extend life and combat the symptoms of the cancer and chemotherapy used to treat it. These include a lot of natural and holistic strategies, including yoga. Many mesothelioma patients face fear and uncertainty. They may work with mesothelioma lawyers to get justice for the cancer likely caused by working conditions, but this can only provide so much relief. If you are struggling to cope, yoga may help.

Yoga for Pain

Pleural mesothelioma, the most common form of the disease, is the cancer of the tissue that lines the lungs. As the cancer grows in that tissue it presses against the spine and nerves. This can lead to significant pain for patients. Research has found that practicing yoga regularly can help relieve pain by improving the body and brain’s tolerance for it.

Any pain caused by mesothelioma, or even other kinds of pain that are less tolerable because you are ill, may be reduced by doing yoga several times a week. A qualified instructor can even tailor a yoga workout to meet your specific needs. If you are experiencing mostly back pain, for instance, there are certain poses that will help more than others.

Battle the Fatigue of Fighting Mesothelioma

The many effects of cancer on the body, not to mention the treatments, include fatigue. If you are struggling with mesothelioma you probably also struggle to do the things you used to because of being tired and having less energy. Just one session of yoga per week boosts energy levels and reduces feelings of fatigue. If you can work up to it, and your health care professionals give you the green light, more than one session per week can really help you to get your old energy back.

Manage Mood and Fight Fear

Living with a death sentence hanging over your head is a terrible thing to have to experience. Patients with terminal cancers like mesothelioma have to be brave in the face of being given a short life sentence. That can take a toll on the psyche and leave you feeling afraid, anxious, depressed, and alone. Time and again, yoga has been proven to help people manage these negative feelings and boost mood.

Many studies have demonstrated that there are positive psychological benefits of yoga, but some have focused specifically on cancer patients. In one study a group of cancer patients participated in yoga for several sessions and researchers found that they all experienced a reduction in stress and anxiety and reported having a better quality of life.

If you are battling mesothelioma, trying yoga could help you feel better and give you a valuable coping strategy. Be sure to work with a professional who can help you start doing yoga at a pace that is best for your current fitness and health level. Once you get started you will likely experience relief from symptoms and a better outlook on living.

Moving through fear while knowing your body

After working out for years, you will know your body more:  What you can do without hurting yourself, when you need to rest, when you need to stretch. With this, you can push to dance, run, hike, swim farther each time. You will have a hump of fear for obstacles that you know are coming. You may look bad in front of others that are more advanced in a certain sport. With a commitment to get better, while loving and accepting yourself where you are at as whole and complete, you will gain in love and respect for yourself and strength for what life brings to you.

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Bosu Ball Squats

You can use a Bosu Ball for squats that work out the glutes, quadriceps and hamstrings, and that simultaneously engage your abdominal muscles for stability. Place the Bosu Ball on its soft, round side. Place each foot on its edges, on the same "line." Balancing engages the abdominal muscles.
Perform squats for four sets of ten repetitions. Place your arms straight out in front of you or cupped together in front of you for stability .

Up and Down Body Weight Exercise for Abs and Legs

Bend your arms at 90 degrees in a grip in front of your chest. You can scoot a bit forward for this exercise, bending from your waist at about 45 degrees. Bend your legs 90 degrees at the knees. Bend the right knee to the floor while keeping your upper body and arms steady. Have your left knee join your right knee inches away. Bring your right knee up. Have your left knee join your right knee inches away. This is a brief squat position. Repeat the sequence until exhaustion. Stretch your quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes.